Giant Food Designates March Military Appreciation Month

Neighborhood Grocer Joins USO of Metropolitan Washington, USO Delaware for Third Year to Support Troops, Families

Landover, Md. (March 1, 2013) – Giant Food of Landover, Md. today announced during a briefing at the Tivoli Giant that the neighborhood grocer has designated March as its first-ever Military Appreciation Month. In addition to focusing on the employment of transitioning veterans and their family members, Giant will also partner with the USO of Metropolitan Washington and USO Delaware for a third year, hosting an in-store giving campaign that will support USO-Metro and USO Delaware programs across the Mid-Atlantic region.

Giant Food President Anthony Hucker highlighted the company’s commitment to military hiring, which has already begun. So far, Giant has welcomed five veterans to store management teams and several additional offers are pending. Giant is actively recruiting veterans through tools including Hero 2 Hired and RecruitMilitary.com and will participate in several local military-focused career fairs.

“At Giant, our military recruitment philosophy is focused on careers, not jobs. We’re seeking energetic and enthusiastic military leaders who can translate the skills they’ve developed serving our country to lead our store teams in management positions to proudly serve our customers. We’re thrilled to add service members to our Giant family,” said Anthony Hucker, president, Giant Food. “We’re also delighted to again work with our local chapters of USO – USO of Metropolitan Washington and USO Delaware – to support those who serve, and their families.”

To benefit local USO chapters, every Giant store will sell healthy Snack Packs for our troops and accept monetary donations at check out throughout the month. For $7, customers can purchase a Snack Pack, which contains a Giant brand nutrition bar, pretzel bar, drink sticks, fruit snacks, bottled water, and CareOne hand sanitizer. Customers can also support military families by adding $1, $3, or $5 to their grocery bill. Additionally, each neighborhood Giant will feature a station where children can make cards for service members.

“All of us at USO-Metro are proud to once again team up with our friends at Giant Food,” said Elaine Rogers, president and CEO of USO-Metro. “Giant dedicating the month of March to our military community is a testament to how dedicated they are to supporting members of our Armed Forces and their families. We’re looking forward to providing healthy Snacks Packs from the American people to our troops at all our USO centers and airports in the Washington-Baltimore region. We simply can’t thank Giant enough for their continued support.”

Select Giant stores will host a Canteen Night on Friday, March 1 featuring coffee and doughnuts. Canteen Nights provide customers the opportunity to speak to USO volunteers and learn more about how they can support service members and their families.

Giant first partnered with the USO of Metropolitan Washington and USO Delaware in March 2011 during its 75th anniversary year. At the end of the month-long giving campaign, Giant delivered $108,000 and nearly 10,000 pounds of food to USO-Metro to help support its programs and establish a food pantry at Fort Belvoir in Virginia. In 2012, Giant delivered $78,500 and more than 15,000 Care Packages to USO-Metro and USO Delaware. During both years, hundreds of soldiers have received cards from children decorated with their original artwork and created at Giant’s card-making stations.

Editor’s Note: Photos from today’s press briefing at the Tivoli Giant are available upon request. Please contact Sara Neumann at 202.414.0788 or sneumann@susandavis.com.

About Giant Food

Giant Food LLC, headquartered in Landover, Md., operates 170 supermarkets in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia, and employs approximately 22,000 associates. Included within the 170 stores are 156 full-service pharmacies. Giant opened the first supermarket in the nation’s capital on February 6, 1936. For more information on Giant, visit www.GiantFood.com.

About USO of Metropolitan Washington

USO of Metropolitan Washington (USO-Metro) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization chartered by Congress, and dedicated to “serving those who serve, and their families” in Washington D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia. Through generous financial and in-kind support from individuals and organizations in the local community, USO-Metro is able to actualize its mission. With the help of nearly 5,000 devoted volunteers, USO-Metro provides programs and services for active duty troops and their families at area military hospitals, through its Mobile USO program, at five USO Centers, and four USO airport lounges. For more information please visit www.usometro.org or “like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter by searching USOMetroDC.